now tell me, how did all my dreams turn to nightmares?

Chapter 20

"Girlfriend?" her mother smirked. "I would congratulate you if the circumstances were different." Jade glanced at Cheryl, "Dear, are you alright? You look awfully pale."

Toni took Cheryl's hand in her own, "She's scared you're going to send her away or something."

"Sweetie," she got up from her chair and walked over to the couch, sitting next to the girls, "I'd never do that. I only want you two to be safe. Why would I ever send you away? From what I know, you make my daughter very happy."

"Mom," Toni warned.

"Well, it's true isn't it?" Jade asked.

Toni blushed, "Yeah, but still."

Cheryl quickly realized how wrong she was. This was what a real mother should do, but growing up with Penelope, she never experienced it first hand. Mothers should be caring, compassionate... everything her own mother was not.

"Thank you, Mrs. Topaz," she said, her voice sounding small. "Sorry for overreacting."

"You are welcome here, Cheryl," Jade told her. "Don't forget that."

"Dinner has arrived," Tony called out as the front door opened. "Who's hungry?" He walked in carrying bags of takeout from Pop's. "Oh, hello, Cheryl. I didn't expect you to be here. I hope Toni won't mind sharing."

"Not at all," the blonde smiled, turning to her girlfriend. "If Cheryl wants to stay that is."

"Apparently," Cheryl bit her bottom lip for a brief second, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Cheryl, would you mind going upstairs and fetching Violet?" Jade requested. "I know she's taken a liking to you, and Toni and I aren't quite done with our conversation."

"Of course," Cheryl glanced at Toni, sharing a sympathetic look. She could only imagine how the rest of the conversation was going to play out.

Cheryl arrived in the kitchen with Violet a short time later. The food had been spread out on the counter with a stack of plates sitting beside it.

"Dad always gets extra," Toni explained as Cheryl approached. The spread consisted of 6 cheeseburgers, 4 hot dogs, 4 fries, 4 onion rings, and 4 shakes. "You can have my shake if you want."

"No, that's quite alright," Cheryl answered. "But thank you."

Toni nodded and picked up a plate, "What would you like?"

"A cheeseburger and some fries, please."

Toni placed the items on the plate before handing it to Cheryl, "Here you go, babe." She then grabbed a plate for herself, filling it with a hot dog and onion rings. The blonde grabbed her shake before walking over to the table with Cheryl.

"So," Tony said, "my wife told me the news."

Cheryl stiffened, anticipating the worse.

"Congratulations, you two," the man said.

The redhead's brow furrowed before she realized he was talking about their change in relationship status. "Thank you, Mr. Topaz."

"I have one question for Cheryl," he stated. When Cheryl nodded, he asked, "What are your intentions with my daughter?"

"Oh my God, Dad," Toni blurted. "You didn't really just ask that?"

"A man has a right to know these things," Tony argued.

"I—"

"You don't have to answer that, babe," Toni said comfortingly while simultaneously glaring at her father.